Mac Jones

Mac Jones To Start Week 10; Latest On Other 49ers Injuries

November 7th, 2025 at 7:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Every week, there seems to be something injury-related coming out of the Bay Area. Whether it’s somebody preparing to miss a lot of time, a “will he” or “won’t he” gametime decision, or questions on timetables for return, the 49ers have provided headlines all season. The latest such headline pertains to the middle option as a questionable Brock Purdy will watch Mac Jones start for the sixth week in a row, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

It’s become a weekly post with Purdy, who has been on the team’s injury report every week since he was hurt in the season opener. The 25-year-old has been getting closer and closer to coming back, and head coach Kyle Shanahan communicated that he could still be active as a backup to Jones. Third-string passer Adrian Martinez was signed from the practice squad to the active roster back in October as Purdy was nearing a return back then, so with three quarterbacks on the 53-man, Purdy could either be a primary backup or an emergency third option.

The quarterback role we do know, though, will be Jones, who will start under center for the eighth time this year. After winning his first three starts as an injury replacement, Jones has cooled off, alternating losses and wins since then. Despite a largely injured supporting cast around him, Jones is averaging a career-high 261.7 passing yards per game while also sporting the best touchdown:interception ratio (10:5) of his career. He’ll be looking to buck the trend of alternating finishes after beating the Giants last week.

One player we know won’t be out there is wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The second-year pass-catcher has been missing since Week 4 and is about to miss his sixth game in a row. Asked about what’s holding Pearsall from being able to play, Shanahan told the media that “he hasn’t been able to hit his normal speeds that would allow him to come back,” per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Reporters noted the young wideout had been sighted doing sprints at practices and shooting jump shots in the locker room, but Shanahan was adamant that the team is waiting for Pearsall to be able to hit his old marks.

Pearsall isn’t the only receiver unavailable this week. Veteran wideout Brandon Aiyuk remains on the reserve/PUP list ten weeks into the season. November was offered up last month as a potential return window for the 27-year-old receiver. It’s now been over a year since Aiyuk has appeared in a game, and each week, expectations for Aiyuk’s 21-day practice window to be opened go unrealized. Shanahan continues to seem vaguely optimistic, with Vic Tafur of The Athletic quoting him as “pretty confident” that Aiyuk will be back sometime this season.

Given the extended absences of players like Purdy and Pearsall, among some others, there have been questions on why players missing so much time weren’t put on injured reserve. According to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, the primary reason is simply that they didn’t expect each player to be out for so long. Additionally, while the NFL has implemented the current system wherein teams can bring players back from IR, each team is only given eight such activations.

Lucky teams can put players with minor injuries on IR and activate them four weeks later just to manipulate roster numbers. With so many injuries week in and week out, the 49ers likely would’ve loved to place guys on IR so they could add healthy reinforcements to the roster. Knowing how many impact players they had already placed on IR, though, San Francisco needed to be weary of how it would be able to utilize its limited activations.

One player that did land on IR recently was edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos. Gross-Matos had been out since Week 5 and was expected to make a return soon. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old defender strained his hamstring again near the end of last week, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. While it will take Gross-Matos some time to work his way back from the injury, Shanahan doesn’t believe he will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Kyle Shanahan Gives Brock Purdy Vote Of Confidence

November 3rd, 2025 at 7:39pm CST by Connor Byrne

While 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones continued a resurgent 2025 in a 34-24 win over the Giants in Week 9, he will not play his way into the team’s starting job. Head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear on Monday that Jones will return to a No. 2 role when starter Brock Purdy is ready to come back from a toe injury.

Asked if Jones’ play has allowed the 49ers to be more cautious with Purdy, Shanahan said (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic): “They’re not related. This is Brock’s team. When Brock’s good to go and everything and can play like Brock, there’s no decision to be made.”

After going 15th overall to the Patriots in the 2021 draft, Jones finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and helped the Pats to a playoff berth. The Alabama product was unable to replicate his first-season output with the Patriots or the Jaguars from 2022-24, though, leading him to ink a two-year, $7MM contract with the 49ers last offseason.

Jones reportedly turned down richer offers to function as Purdy’s backup, but choosing San Francisco has worked out well for him and the team. With Purdy having missed seven of the 49ers’ nine games, including five in a row, Jones has led the 6-3 club to a 5-2 record in his starts. The 27-year-old has completed 67.2% of passes for 1,832 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in the process. He ranks a solid 15th in the league in QBR.

After picking up his fourth win in Week 7, Jones earned $400K in incentives, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He collected another $100K for the 49ers’ Week 9 victory, which will continue to be the case as long as he plays at least 25% of offensive snaps, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Jones will rake in another $550K if he plays 50% of offensive snaps this season and the 49ers earn a playoff berth.

It’s unclear whether Purdy will play this Sunday against the NFC West rival Rams (6-2), who lost at home to Jones and the 49ers in Week 5. Regardless, it’s unsurprising that Shanahan is continuing to back Purdy, one of the team’s greatest individual success stories during his eight-plus years as the head coach.

Purdy quickly went from Mr. Irrelevant – the last overall pick in the 2022 draft – to establishing himself as a high-end starter. The 49ers went 17-4 with Purdy at the helm through the 2023 regular season, which ended with an overtime loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

San Francisco failed to make the playoffs during an injury-plagued 2024 in which Purdy’s numbers declined. However, that didn’t stop the 49ers from signing the 25-year-old to a mammoth extension last May. Just months removed from securing a five-year, $265MM deal that includes $181MM in guarantees, Purdy is in no danger of a demotion to clipboard-holding duties. The only question is when he’ll be healthy enough to start again.

Brock Purdy Ruled Out For Week 8; Mac Jones To Start

October 25th, 2025 at 1:44pm CST by Connor Byrne

The 49ers will go another week without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who’s continuing to deal with a toe injury. While Purdy was a limited participant in practice this week, the team has ruled him out for Sunday’s game in Houston. Backup Mac Jones will start again in Purdy’s place.

This will be the fourth missed game in a row for Purdy, who has sat out all but two contests this year. He started a Week 1 win over the Seahawks and a Week 4 loss to the Jaguars. Otherwise, the 49ers have turned to Jones, an offseason free agent acquisition who divided his first four years between New England and Jacksonville.

Jones signed a two-year, $7MM deal with the 49ers after reportedly spurning richer offers on the open market. The deal has worked out swimmingly for both sides in 2025.

Jones’ stock has likely risen as the former first-round pick has helped keep the injury-plagued 49ers firmly in the NFC playoff mix. The team is 5-2 and atop the NFC West, leading fellow five-win clubs in the Rams and Seahawks, and currently the second seed in the conference.

The 49ers have gone 4-1 under Jones, who has experienced his most success since helping the Patriots to a 10-7 mark and a playoff berth as a rookie in 2021. The 27-year-old has completed 67% of passes for 1,404 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. Jones has been playing through knee and oblique injuries, but he was a full participant in practice this week.

Although the Texans are off to a dismal 2-4 start, their defense should pose a significant challenge for Jones and the 49ers’ offense. Houston has given up a meager 14.7 points per game, which ranks first in the NFL. The Texans’ stop unit is also fourth in yards allowed and fifth against the pass.

49ers To Activate George Kittle, Rule Out Brock Purdy

October 17th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy for Week 7, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, meaning that Mac Jones will make his fifth start of the season.

Purdy was still limited in practice this week due to a re-aggravation of his toe injury. Jones, meanwhile, progressed to full participation despite dealing with knee and oblique injuries. He has led the 49ers to a 3-1 record in his four starts with a league-high 313 passing yards per game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan also said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that tight end George Kittle would be activated from injured reserve for Sunday’s game, ending his four-game absence due to a Week 1 hamstring injury. Kittle is not expected to be on any kind of snap count, according to Tafur.

San Francisco created the space for Kittle’s activation on Friday by placing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve, per Wagoner. The eight-year veteran will now be on the shelf for at least four games with a calf injury and becomes the latest 49ers wideout to miss time. Ricky Pearsall has been out for the last two games with a knee issue that will sideline him for Sunday’s contest as well. Jacob Cowing is on IR, though Shanahan said (via Wagoner) that he is “getting close” to returning to practice. Jauan Jennings has missed two games and played through four others with a litany of injuries. That’s not even mentioning Brandon Aiyuk, who will not be back until November at the earliest.

Kittle’s return will obviously go a long way in relieving the pressure on the 49ers’ injured receiving corps. Backup tight end Jake Tonges has performed well in his absence, giving Shanahan the options of using more two-tight end formations until the rest of his offense gets healthier.

Shanahan also said that defensive tackle Kevin Givens will “most likely” be activated from IR as well, which would add depth to a defensive line that has also dealt with a number of injuries this year. The 49ers can easily create a roster spot for Givens by placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve after an ankle injury that is expected to end his season.

Mac Jones Likely To Start Week 7; George Kittle Plans To Return

October 16th, 2025 at 9:51pm CST by Connor Byrne

It appears 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones will make his third straight start in place of Brock Purdy in Week 7. While Jones has been dealing with knee and oblique issues, he was able to practice in full on Thursday. With Purdy limited because of a nagging toe injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Jones will “most likely” start against the Falcons on Sunday (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle).

After playing 31 of a possible 34 regular-season games from 2023-24, Purdy has already sat out four times this year. He started a season-opening win over the Seahawks and a Week 4 loss to the Jaguars. The offseason decision to sign Jones, a former Patriot and Jaguar, has helped the injury-plagued 49ers stay afloat during a 4-2 start.

While Jones struggled in a loss to the Buccaneers last Sunday, the 49ers have gone 3-1 with him at the helm. The 27-year-old has connected on 67.3% of passes for 1,252 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Jones’ success has come without six-time Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle, who’s among the Niners’ many walking wounded, but that could change Sunday. Kittle suffered a right hamstring injury in Week 1 – a “full tear,” he revealed – leading the 49ers to place him on IR. After missing five consecutive games, Kittle returned to practice on Wednesday. He took part in his second limited session in a row Thursday and expressed confidence about his chances of facing the Falcons.

“I fully plan on playing on Sunday,” Kittle said, though he acknowledged that Shanahan will make the call (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).

While Jones may count Kittle among his weapons for the first time on Sunday, he could go without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall again. After missing San Francisco’s past two games with a knee injury, the second-year man has not returned to practiced this week.

49ers Open George Kittle’s Practice Window

October 15th, 2025 at 3:09pm CST by Connor Byrne

Star tight end George Kittle has been on IR since Sept. 9, but he’s finally nearing a return. The 49ers opened Kittle’s practice window on Wednesday, according to Clayton Holloway of NFL Network. They’ll have 21 days to activate him.

Kittle, who suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks, will practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones will join Kittle as limited participants (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic).

Purdy, out back-to-back games with a toe injury, is viewed as more limited than Jones. While Jones is battling knee and oblique issues, he could make his third straight start Sunday against the Falcons.

Kittle has already missed five games this season, which is the second-highest total of his nine-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler entered 2025 off four consecutive seasons of at least 14 games played. He continued to thrive during a 15-game slate in 2024, catching 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns.

The 49ers were likely expecting more of the same from Kittle this season. Instead, he has been among many high-profile injury casualties for the club. San Francisco’s offense has gotten one appearance from Kittle, two from Purdy, and none from receiver Brandon Aiyuk. On the other side of the ball, the team has seen heart-and-soul defenders Fred Warner and Nick Bosa go down with season-ending injuries in recent weeks. Despite that, the 49ers have gotten off to a 4-2 start.

Without Kittle, the 49ers have turned to the little-known Jake Tonges as their primary tight end. To Tonges’ credit, he has done well filling in for Kittle. He entered the season with no catches over four games (all with Chicago in 2022), but Tonges has racked up 25 receptions, 34 targets, 224 yards, and three scores in six contests this year. He’ll serve as a solid No. 2 option at tight end when Kittle is back in the lineup, perhaps as early as this week.

The 49ers could also get Aiyuk back soon, which will further bolster their offense down the stretch as they vie for a playoff berth. Facing a fellow NFC postseason contender this week in the 3-2 Falcons, the 49ers may again have to overcome a Purdy absence. After signing a five-year, $265MM contract extension in the offseason, Purdy has been sidelined for most of 2025. Jones has held his own as a fill-in, but thanks in part to his own injury troubles, he struggled in a loss to the Buccaneers in Week 6.

49ers Working Out QBs Amidst Injuries In The Room

October 10th, 2025 at 9:29pm CST by Ely Allen

A lengthy 49ers injury report this week gave some context to a workout today that included three quarterbacks. Starter Brock Purdy has already been ruled out for this weekend after missing practice all week, and primary backup passer Mac Jones is questionable after being a limited participant in every session this week. This leaves only one fully healthy option on the roster.

It’s still assumed that Jones should be good to go on Sunday, but if he isn’t, Adrian Martinez will be waiting in the wings for the opportunity to make his NFL debut. But if the team’s injury luck continues to disappoint, some planning ahead would certainly be worthwhile. To that end, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, San Francisco hosted three quarterbacks — Desmond Ridder, Nathan Peterman, and Quinten Dormady — for a workout today.

Oddly enough, Ridder, the youngest of the three, was the most experienced passer at the tryout. Over two years in Atlanta, Ridder started 17 contests, including most of the 2023 season. He went 8-9 as a starter for the Falcons, only throwing around 187 yards per game with 14 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

Despite being drafted five years before Ridder, Peterman has appeared in fewer games than Ridder has starts. In two seasons apiece with the Bills, Raiders, and Bears, Peterman has made five starts in 15 appearances, going 1-4 in his starts. After completing only 52.3 percent of his passes in Buffalo and throwing only three touchdowns to 12 interceptions, Peterman’s opportunities have been few and far between. In his 2018 season alone, he threw more touchdowns to opposing defenses than he did his own team. He failed to make an appearance in both the 2019 and 2024 seasons.

If Dormady was signed, it would be his first NFL contract. Transferring out of Tennessee after three years in college, Dormady spent a year at Houston before transferring again to Central Michigan, where he was finally able to play most of a season as a starter for the Chippewas. After an average season at CMU, Dormady went undrafted and signed briefly to a Canadian Football League practice roster. After off and on stints in Montreal, he became a backup for Paxton Lynch in the XFL. He eventually overtook Lynch for the starting job and, when the XFL folded, found his way to the UFL as a backup in San Antonio and Memphis before, ultimately, announcing his retirement from the sport.

While his presence at the tryout makes it seem very likely that he would unretire for a chance at the NFL, no contracts were signed after today’s auditions. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Purdy was seen at practice pushing a weight sled, which sounds like some pretty serious work for his injured toe, and Jones was throwing today after staying away from that activity earlier in the week. Both players are clearly on the mend with hopes that other help will be on the way, as well.

For now, until there’s any word to the contrary, it’ll be Jones under center when the 49ers host Tampa this weekend, and Martinez will be ready and waiting on the sideline. As long as Purdy stays on track and Jones stays healthy enough, a contract for Ridder, Peterman, or Dormady may not be necessary.

Brock Purdy Likely Out For Week 6; Mac Jones Expected To Start

October 9th, 2025 at 10:44pm CST by Connor Byrne

It appears that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy‘s toe injury will force him to sit out again this week. Purdy did not practice on Thursday, setting up backup Mac Jones to start against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

San Francisco is heading into Tampa Bay for a battle of 4-1 NFC contenders, but the 49ers’ success has come despite limited contributions from Purdy. After securing a five-year, $265MM contract extension in May, turf toe has held Purdy out of three games this season. The former Mr. Irrelevant has completed 48 of 73 passes (65.8%) for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions while winning one of two starts this year. He last played in a loss to the Jaguars in Week 4.

Jones, who joined the 49ers on a two-year, $7MM deal last March, has looked like one of the shrewdest signings of the offseason so far. The ex-Patriots first-round pick and multiyear starter has hit on 86 of 129 passes (66.7%) for 905 yards, six TDs, and a pick while helping the 49ers to a 3-0 record. Jones racked up 342 yards and two scores in a Week 5 victory over the NFC West rival Rams, but he hardly escaped L.A. unscathed.

Now nursing knee and oblique injuries, Jones was a limited participant in practice on Thursday. Although head coach Kyle Shanahan said Jones was unable to throw on Thursday (via Jerry McDonald of the Mercury News), he added that his No. 2 signal-caller “should be able to go on Sunday.”

With Purdy and Jones banged up, Adrian Martinez received reps with the first-team offense on Thursday. He’s in line to back up Jones for the fourth time this year. Previously with the Jets, who cut him in August, Martinez hasn’t seen any regular-season action since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Kansas State in 2023. The 49ers signed Martinez from their practice squad to their active roster a week ago.

Mac Jones Battling PCL Sprain; Brock Purdy Likely To Return In Week 4?

September 25th, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 25: Nothing is certain at this point regarding the 49ers’ Week 4 quarterback situation, but the team could have two healthy passers to choose from. Purdy was a limited practice participant Wednesday and again today, and he said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) he is happy with his recovery progress. Jones, meanwhile, stated (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) he will be ready to play if needed on Sunday.

SEPTEMBER 22: Facing perennial issues keeping key players healthy, the 49ers have two injured quarterbacks entering Week 4. Mac Jones joins Brock Purdy in rehabbing an injury.

Jones aggravated a PCL sprain Sunday, informing reporters (including NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) of the malady — one he initially sustained during training camp. Jones was not on San Francisco’s injury report last week, but it sounds like he will be for Week 4. Fortunately for the 49ers, they look to have a good chance of seeing Purdy back in action by then.

Logging three limited practices last week while recovering from an AC joint sprain and turf toe, Purdy has submitted a better-than-anticipated recovery effort, Rapoport adds. This puts a Week 4 return against the Jaguars firmly in play, after Purdy had been rumored to be available in case of emergency days before Week 3. That did not end up being the case, with the 49ers ruling out their starter.

Purdy has now missed three career starts due to injury — the past two weeks and Week 18 of the 2024 season — after seeing a Jimmy Garoppolo injury launch his stunning ascent. The 49ers have been without Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Ben Bartch on offense. They improved to 3-0 under these circumstances, beating the Saints and Cardinals, but their Nick Bosa loss represents a more significant issue. Having Purdy back should help the cause, though the 49ers are again battered by maladies at an early-season juncture.

Four years after being closely linked to the 49ers during the pre-draft process, Jones joined the team on a two-year, $7MM deal. He delivered back-to-back wins, following a three-touchdown performance in New Orleans with a 284-yard, one-TD showing in a 16-15 win over Arizona. Benched in New England and traded to Jacksonville as a clear backup, Jones has given the 49ers an upgrade at the QB2 position. Considering the injury trouble the franchise has run into at QB during Shanahan’s tenure, that is rather important. Jones probably raised his stock during this stretch, but in signing a two-year deal, no near-future path to a starting role elsewhere is on the horizon.

As for Bosa, Shanahan said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman) the former Defensive Player of the Year suffered a clean ACL tear. Bosa came back on time after his September 2020 ACL tear, playing 17 games in 2021 to lead a 49ers resurgence. The 49ers will hope this largely Bosa-less season goes far better than their injury-riddled 2020 campaign — a 6-10 slate that also included an extensive Garoppolo absence — and having Purdy back soon would be a good sign for the long-running contender.

Mac Jones To Start Week 3; Brock Purdy Potentially Available In Case Of Emergency

September 19th, 2025 at 7:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Brock Purdy‘s return to practice this week inspired some hope that he could suit up for the 49ers in Week 3, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) that it is “highly unlikely” he starts on Sunday. Instead, it will be Mac Jones under center in San Francisco against the Cardinals.

Purdy missed Week 2 due to injuries to his toe and shoulder. The shoulder issue no longer seems to be preventing him from playing, but the fourth-year quarterback practiced in a limited capacity for the last three days as the toe continued to ail him. His comments on Thursday suggested that he could be a game-time decision, depending on how he feels on Sunday.

Instead, it appears that decision will be made on Saturday, when the team is required to make roster decisions like inactives and practice squad elevations. Shanahan indicated that Purdy could still be active as the team’s second- or third-string quarterback, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Pelissero’s partner at NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, expanded on that topic, explaining that, while a QB2 role may be a possibility, a QB3 role as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option makes far more sense.

If it’s determined tomorrow that Purdy can’t go or that he can only suit up as an emergency quarterback, practice squad passer Adrian Martinez will, once again, be called on to back up Jones. How they do that will be determined by Purdy’s situation. If Purdy is unable to suit up, Martinez would simply need to be designated a standard gameday practice squad elevation as he was last week. If Purdy suits up with the intention to serve in an emergency role, Martinez would need to be signed to the 53-man roster, since emergency third quarterbacks need to be on the active roster.

In other injury news, two rookies were injured in practice yesterday, per Barrows. While seventh-round guard Connor Colby is only listed as questionable with a groin injury, fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins is reportedly a candidate for injured reserve with a calf injury.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

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